Electrolytic apparatus.



H. H. BATES @L F. ADAM.

ELEGTRGLYTI APPARATUS.

APPLmATmN FILED JUNE 7.1909.

$44,650. Patented Deo. 28, 1909 a specification.

- "UNTED STATES' PATENT FFCE.

HARRY H. BTESAND FOLGER .AAt/I, OF JOLIET, ILLNOIS.

ELECTROLYTIC APPARATUS.

To all whom 'it may concern.-

v:Be itiknown that we, Hannirv H.` vBarns end gFoLoER ADAM, citizens of. the United States, residing in Joliet, in the county ot' 1Will and State of Illinois, have invented a new vand n'sef1il Irnprove1nent'-in Electro- 'lytic Apparatus, of which the following is This invention relates to a cell apparatus .for obtaining chlorates from alkaline or al- And the invention consists generally stated in '-eniploying mechanical means for agitating the' electrolyte as it passes through the cell, -and'thus causing said solution to be brought more rapidly and thoroughly into the neeie'ssary Contact with'fthe electrodes, whereby i the rapidity of the action is unich increased V.and other valuable results achieved, and tur- 'the'r in utilizing` a large body ot the solu- 'ton to retain the heat imparted-hy the electriecurrent' and to thus save in the cost of 4the operation, as will more fully hereinafter app/ear. In the accompanying drawing, which l'forms apart of this specification, l `igure l represents a vertical sect ion ot' the coll anpa- .ratus; Fig. 2 is a horizontal `section on the. line 2,'2, of Fig. l.; and Figixl .iena horizon- 3 0=- tal section on the line 'Uv-"Ji (if, ILike numerals olfreteici1ce made use of in'` the Hseveral' liguresl denote like parts wherever used.

.Hitherto in electrolytic cells which were i operated without a -diapliragiu, either the electrolytic process was carried on until thewhole or ,nearlyall ofthe solution in the vcellhadbeen acted upon by the electric cur rent, or the ,solution pasaed rapidi)` through the cell at such sliced that only a small Apart of it. was presentml to the action .ot the electric current. lVith the torna-r niethotha high etiicicncy was obtained at vthe tirstfnart ot the proce--s hut l the amount.otithealt converted increased, the cell became clogged-and the etlicient-.y correspondingly decreased at the latter iiart ot.' the process, due to this clogging and to the "factthat the slat which ned been converted- 5'0 was acted upon a` second time, by the electric current.y before ity was conducted away. -Alith the latter method the. clogging was #)ll'cvent'ed by passing a. large `ainouut off elution throngha snia'll. cell,'bi it owing` to he speedjat hich it', Wasi nefv Sary topass Specification ofLetters Patent. Patented DOC. 2S, 1909. Application tiled June 7,

1909. sei-m1 No. 5o,5os.

l ging, too unich of the electric current was consumed in bringing up the' teniperatu re of the solution to the required point; in other words a great many ainperes ot' current first went to heat the entire amount of liquid in the cell before any of the current was used to malte the cornerson of the salt and inasmuch as only a. sinall aln'ount of salt was allowed to beconie converted, while the heated, the result was an extravagant expcnditure of electric current to heat this liquid over and over again until all o'l' vthe salt contained in it had been converted.

ln the cell which we have discovered the compartment which. is entirelyT 'separated surface, which converts practically all the chlorid in'o chlorate bct'orc the solution .leaves the cell. vltloui this coniliartnient the liquid is drawn otlA into the ordinari' cooling or .-ct t'liu s chalutiers. no iiiii1i\to ai \f cnricut wasted in rcheat 'ing the solution t'or the'reasoi'i that when the liquid tirs( conteey in contcaet with the perature and all that is required of tluelectric current is to hold itl at. that temperature :zuil couvert the chlorid into chlorate. .tlinoat theentire aniount ol .salt in this conicoine conrered ilor the reason that the lar-e prt-portion iol' the electrode .surface to the amount ol the solution and further to the mixing and .stirring 'action of the agita tionwlhat the wilntion passes outs into the cooling` and setllingreceptacle betore it has a chauffe to deposit in the .cell itself. Thus with thi# apparatus we are able to heat and in the solution-at one operation without the lroin that part ol. the liquid ul'ulergoing the electrodes` it` is already atthe proper tcni- Amrtnieu( Vo' the cell can hq, allowed tov bevconvert ahnost theentire amount ot chlorid 'entire an'iount of the solution had to become eleetrolytic solution is led into a central tation, and to the action ot a large electrode,

lilith this apparatus llt) l danger ot having the ellicicncy ot, the cell i its'uppei' partthe disk or horizontal head 'one side of the platinum could be employed.

Vthe gear 2l).

reduced by clogginxg;` due to reconverted l chlorid and we thus also avoid the needless waste of electric current in heating and reheating the solution liquid before the entire amount of chlorid contained in it has been converted.

As an element entering into the reduction l o't the first cost of a celliiecessary for this l process we are able to use both sides ot' the platinum yanode surface, where hitherto, when thin lsheets ot' platinum were used, onlyone side was available. In former con structions eitherathick sheet of platinum was necessary, which made such a cell very high at first cost, or a thin sheet ot platinum supported on one side by a heavy piece of baser material, was used, in which case only By the use of a cell with moving or revolving electrodes we are able not onlyto agitate the solution while it is being acted upon' by the electric current and thus materially to assist in the foriningot the secondaryreactions, which hitherto were assisted only by the action ot' diffusion,` but we are also able to prevent retention on the cathode suri faces of the gas bubbles of hydrogen which forni there, and tend to retard the action by polarization.

-In the said drawings 11 is a cell which may preferably be ot' metal cast in cylindri al form, provided at the bottom with a step bearing piece 12, at one side and in the upper part with anouttlow pipe 13.

The cover for the cell is shown at 14, and is shown as being secured to the cell by through bolts 15, 15. In the center ot' the cover is shown an openingfor the passage ot' a hollow double shaft, presently to be described, and this openingr is shown as being provided with a stutting box 1G. Between the cover and the cylindrical cell is a layer 1T of electrical insulating material, which may it desired be so constituted as also to serve as a packing. The hollow double shaft, above mentioned,- comprises the central tulze 1S; open at the top to receive the funnel 19; supported at the bottoni by the pivotal bearing Q0, settingl on the step 12; supported at the upper part in the bearing block Q1 and perforated within the cell as at. 22, 22, 'tor the outflow of the solutioiivreceived through the tunnel. Secured to this hollow shaft, and to revolveI therewith, is the bevel gear wheel QB'tdriven by There is also secured to .and moving with the said hollow shaft just below the gear a Contact ring 25, in electrical connection with 'the said shaft and with thel stationary .blocker piece 2G constituting the terminal for the catliodes of the cell. l/Vithin the cell the said shaft carries near 2( secured to and in electrical contactl with said shaft; and also near the bottom of the cell the second disk or head 28. These two heads support both the eathodes and the anode, the former beingiii electrical Contact with said heads and the latter insulated) therefrom. vertical cylindrical partition 29 secured firmly to both, and provided with perfora- -tioiis 30, 30,- tor the outflow of the solution from the inner part or chamber 31, to the middle part or chamber 32 of the cell. To 75 the upper portion ot` the said shaft. or tube` 1S is attached the outer tube 33, the same being` insulated from the said inner tube 18, and from the contact ring 25A ',This outer tube carries the contact ring 3st in electrical 80 contact therewith and'l in contact with the stationary terminal 35, the saine being the anode terminal. lt; also carries within the cell the head or disk 3G insulated electrically vtrom the inner tube and its'disks or heads, 85 l The anode is carried by and is in electrical contact with this head or disk 3G.

`The anode is shown at. 3T, carried the head 36 and the head 2.8, and 'passing through the head 2T being insulated Afrom 9G the headsl 9T and 28. As shown this anode is toi-ined in cylindrical shape of a thin sheet of some suitable metal, say platinum, and having two vertical passages 38, 38

through it so that the solution occupying 96 the middle lchamber-32 may tlow'oiitward to the outer or peiipheral chamber 39. rThe eathodes l0, 41, each consists ot' a cylindrical sheet of some suitable metal, say copper and having also the two vertical 'passages 42, L12, 100

correspondingly to the passages 3S, 38, to permit the circulation of the solution. ne ot' the cathodesis placed on each side of the anode.

out ot' the material of the cathode by bending these cuts away from the sheet. The cuts ot the inner cathode sheet are bent inwardly toward the axis of the cell to form the wings #13,'and the cuts in the outer cath- 110 shaft turns, that is in thc general direction llt:

ot' the arrow on' Fig. 3 ot' the drawing, so that as the cathodes are moved through the solution these wings gather the solution and cause it to tlow troni within and troni-without toward and against both sides of the 120 anode, and at the same time agitatin'g the said solution. Above the. funnel the iiilet` pipe 4 5, pi'ovidedwith a suitable regir latine valve l-G for regulating the flow of the`solution to the cell and thereby also reg-11,25

ulati'iig and determining how long the solution shall remain in the cell, since it the flow be slow the liquid solution will remain And said heads also support a 'Cach ot the cathode sheets is eutI with rectangular cuts to tonniv wings L13, afl, 105

longer in the cell than if the How he faster as the solution can only flow out as fast as it flows into the cell.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: A suitable solution of the salts of allialine or alkalineearth metals is made in water and this solution is regulably permitted to flow intol the funnel and through the hollow shaft and its perforations into the inner chamber of the cell whence it passes through the perforated sides of said inner chamber into the middle chamber andthence to the outer or peripheral chamber filling the inte,

rior of the cell up to a level with the outflow pipe. In the meantime power being applied by the gearing, the hollow shaft. carrying the anode and cathode, is caused to revolve in the direction o-f the arrow on Fig. 3. and the electric current is also turned on. The spreading` wings of the cathode inoving through the solution gather it in and produce a lion' of the solution from both sides toward the anode thus impinging the solution upon both sides of the anode sheet. The solution after heilig acted upon finds its Way to the outtiow pipe, and escapes into a receiver. There it should be tested to determine its condition and to determine whether it has remained long enough in the cell. If this test indicates that the solution should have remained longer the supply of intlowing solution is lessened by means of the valve in the inlet pipe, or if it shows that the solution has remained too long the supply is increased as occasion requires. The solution in the cell is heated by the electric current up to the required temperature for the electrolysis Within a reasonable time and the solution being in considerable body in the inner chamber this heat is held to'meet the incoming flow so that less current is thereafter required because the already heated solution acts to warm the portion that is added by the inliow and there is therefore no waste of electric current in heating the solution,

this is a material advantage and economy in the/'use of the apparatus. So too the most expensive part of an'electrolytic cell for the production of chlorates isrusually the anode, which is best made of platinum to withstand the disrupting action. In the present apparatus the anode is preferably made of a very thin sheet of platinum altl'ieugh it is understood we do not limit ourselves to platinum. It is possible to use the thinnest sheet. of metal because it is supported at both top and bottom firmly and in such manner that there is no strain upon it and being smooth and moving smoothly through the solution no strain whatever is put upon it in the operation. h'loreover this thin sheet of the metal is made to do double service by presenting both of its sides to the electrolytic action, one side to one cathode and the other side to another cathode7 t'nhus I obtaining in the cell double tue amount of anode surfaces with thesame amount of material than was heretofore thought practicable with such thin -sheets of metal. luasnuu-l,` as tl.-\'\ cos of the platinum is the main initial cost of the cell our construction of an apparatus for the manufacture of chloratea. ll will he lseen that though oney of the electrodes is made use of as the moving means to agitate and circulate the solution in the cell, the one selected for this purpose is the cathode element. which may be made of cheap ymetal and may without great expense Vto do the werk and to sustain the wear; and this utilization of one of the electrodes a material ad antage in the construction and operation of the apparatus. So too it should be noted that one of the greathindrances llo active electrolysis of ehlorids has always been the formation of hydrogen which by keeping' the solution from the sur- -face retards the action. But in the present apparatus both of the electrodes are in motion through the agitated solution aml are consequently being washedhy the solul iou so that as the inevitable bubbles form they are immediately washed away into the solution and escape Without having time to do any damage in retarding the action.

7e claim p 1. An electrolytic cell for the production of chlorates from chlorids having moving anodes and cathodes mounted so as to move in the .saine direction upon a common axis.

2. An electrolytic cell for the production of chlorates from chlorids containing moving anodes and cathodes mounted so as to move in the same direction upon a common axis constructed to agitate the solution by their movement.

3. An electrolytic cell for the production of chlorates front chlorids in which the cathode is given a rotary movement in the solution and is constructed with vanes to agitato the solution by such movement.

4. An electrolytic cell for the production of chlorates from ehlorids in which the anode is made without vanos and the cathode made with vanos, and the latter given a rotary movement through the sollitiolrto agitate the vsame and' bring all parts thereof 1apidly into contact with the electrodes.

5. An electrolytic cell for the production of chloratcs from chlorids in which the anode is given a rotary movement and is formed of both sides of a thin sheet of metal and the cathode is made to face looth sides of the anode sheet.

G. In an eleetrolytic cell thc cylindrical anode formed of a thin sheet of metal and the cathode formed in two parts facing both enables us to greatly reduce the initial cost be constructed as thick 'and heavy as required sides of said anodeand in proximity thereto,

bubbles on the surface of the cathode and l,

said cathode and anode being mounted in i bearings to revolve through the so1uton the cathode being provided with means for directing the current of nsolution into Contact with the anode at both of its Sides, combined with mechanism for revolving the cathode.

7. In an eiectrolytic cell the cylindrical anode formed of a thin sheet of metal und the cathode formed in tn'o parts facing both Sides of said anode and in .proximity1 thereto, .said Cathode and anode being mounted in bearings to revoive through the solution, the cathode being provided with means for di'- recting the currenty of Solution into Contact with `the anode at both ot' its sides, coni-- bined with mecha nisin for revolving the cathode, said means for directing the cur rent of solution into Contact with the anode consisting or vanes carried by the Cathode.

S. An electroiytic ceii made in two parte, an outer and an inner part, the inner part oi? which is not an electrodo and does not contain electrodes, and is constructed to receive the solution to be treated, and another or outer part Surrounding the inner one and containing the moving electrodes and treating and discharging the soiution, the whole constitutinv' a Close vessel provided with a cover, whereby the heat and gases of the eieetroiytio action are conserved and used io heat the incoming solution before it reaches the electrodes, Substantially as specified,

HARRY H. BATES. FOLGER ADAM.

Witnesses JOHN W. MUNDAY, 'H. M. MUNDAY. 

